With so many words in the English language, it can sometimes be difficult to know if any particular word is a real word or not. According to AskOxford.com, the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary contains 171,476 words in current use and 47,156 obsolete words. That’s a lot of words. But there are some words that people say or write on a regular basis that aren’t really words at all. Some examples include:

Irregardless: This just doesn’t even make sense because it is a double negative. “Regardless” means to have no regard- which is what most people think they are saying when they use the word “irregardless.” It was most likely formed from someone trying to combine “irrespective” or “irrelevant” with “regardless.”

Anyways: Although used in some English dialects, this is not standard. The word is “anyway.”

Passerbys: One person passing by is a passerby. Multiple people passing by are passersby.

Alterior: The word you are looking for here is “ulterior,” which is heard most often in the phrase “ulterior motive.” Ulterior means something outside or beyond what is openly said or shown. I think “alterior” must have been confused with the word “alternative” which means other option.

Ya’ll: Let’s think back to first grade grammar here. This word is a contraction of “you” and “all” so it should be “y’all.”

What other misspelled/misused words can you think of?

By: Jessica McGrail

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Kellogg’s is bringing back the original Hydrox cookie to celebrate their 100th anniversary this year; a felicitous event indeed for the cult of Hydrox fans who have been craving the crème filled confection since their disappearance from shelves in 2003.

Although some people may remember Hydrox cookies as ‘imitation Oreos’, they were actually the first to market, debuting in 1908 by what would later become Sunshine Biscuits. It wasn’t until 1912 when the National Biscuit Co. (later called Nabisco) entered the crème-filled cookie market with Oreos, and the battle began. Continue Reading »

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As pharmaceuticals are becoming more sophisticated, the need for targeted and effective modes of administration is becoming more apparent: a trend that is not being ignored by companies worldwide. Drug delivery is an increasingly dynamic sector of the pharmaceutical industry, and it may prove to be one of the most interesting areas of growth over the next decade.

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The recent litigation between POM Wonderful and Purely Juice makes me question the correlation between marketing and nutrition labels.

According to Brandweek, Purely Juice claimed that one of its products was “100% pure pomegranate juice” and contained “no added sugar or sweeteners.” Seven different labs showed found that the product contained trace amounts of pomegranate juice and a healthy dose of high-fructose corn syrup — a fairly clear case of false advertising and misleading the consumer into believing the product is healthier than it actually is. But aren’t we as consumers surrounded by these “claims” every day? “Calorie-free” sodas can actually contain up to 5 calories per serving. A product with the word “light” on its package only has to have 1/3 fewer calories than the original, but we’re assuming that the original calories aren’t off the charts to begin with.

Working with many consumer companies, we’ve had to tread lightly on using words like “fresh” or “healthy” in product naming to avoid making false claims on what the product actually delivers. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in your packaging versus your nutrition label:

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